Bolts and Flames
by WildMizz
Summary: A short story with PyroxEngie. My very first fic. Sorry for any OOCness!
1. Chapter 1

Author's note: When the POV changes, since it can be confusing at times, I added a " ... " for convenience.

**Bolts and Flames**

Engie was always a good friend of the RED's pyro, being on the same team and all. He couldn't count how many times Pyro had saved him from an enemy spy, looking for an easy kill. Even though Pyro could talk, no one could perfectly understand him through his mask. The man was a mystery all right, if he even _was_ a man.

The day the battle raged on as usual, and Pyro was defending their intel. No idea why, no one was anywhere near them. I continued banging on my dispenser and turret, upgrading them to level 3 just in case.

Pyro walked up behind me and was just standing there, slightly menacingly. Swiftly, he got out his fire-axe ready to strike. I realized that it was in fact the BLU spy!

Suddenly Pyro came running to where we were just as the spy took out my sentry with his sapper and swung his butterfly blade at me.

...

I took out my flame thrower and burnt the spy to a crisp. I scanned the battlefield for the medic but I couldn't see him, and Engie was lying there unconscious! Confused, I looked around for the nearest med-kit to patch him up with and found one a few meters away. I grabbed it and rushed back to help him. Cease-fire was soon and I figured my team-mates had everything under control. I removed my mask and gloves so I could work better and started taking off the top of his overalls and wow, was he fit!

A wave of nausea and pain washed over me and I blinked. I saw a mysterious man tending to my wounds... It wasn't the medic though. A second wave came and everything went back to darkness.

Engie's eye flickered and that's how I noticed how peaceful he looked. I was going to wake him but it was probably better he slept. Once he was patched up I put my mask and gloves on and carried him bridal-style to our base to wait for the medic.

...

Yawning, I opened my eyes. Bright morning sunlight blinded me and I blinked. I was in the medic bay, lying on one of the beds. Medic was writing something in his journal and Pyro was on the floor, probably sleeping. I couldn't tell because of his mask.

"Ah. You are avake." said Medic, "Your vound vill heal, you lost alot of blood though. It was a back-stabbing spy, ya?"

"Uh, I think so." I replied, still sleepy.

"Pyro brought you in here yesterday. He is quite a good medic! I hardly had to do anything!"

"So... I'm not dead?"

"Of course not!"

Then, the angel I saw was... Pyro? Did he really risk his life for mine?

Pyro was snoring. It sounded funny through his mask, but it was soothing. More than the creepy Medic though, who seemed to be talking to a decapitated head. I think I have an overdose on sleeping pills or something. Pyro stirred, and got up off the floor. He said something muffled, but I think it was ' Good morning' and then a 'Are you feeling better?' I nodded and said 'Good morning' back. He walked out in a funny way, probably from sleeping against the cold wall of the medic bay.


	2. Chapter 2

Later, the medic said I could go. It was about 1:30 pm and I was hungry. Today was a day-off of battle and, as usual, Soldier was complaining that " If I was allowed to, I'd go in the BLU base and smash all their stupid, smiling faces!" The demoman was drunk in the corner and mumbling something while the spy and sniper were blankly staring at the scout's animated stories, aimed at them.

I took a seat and wondered where Pyro was. Soon he came wearing a chef's hat and holding a plate of bacon and eggs, with two pieces of toast and handed them to me.

"Thank you! How did you know I was hungry?"

"Mmmh mm, MmmMmmMh!"

"Yeah, I guess that made it obvious..."

He sat down next to me as company the whole time I was eating. If only he could communicate better, then people might start to care more about him! I know he saves me a lot from spies, especially when I'm distracted by my sentry. What's beneath his mask?

...

I stared at him while he ate. It wasn't as creepy because he couldn't see my eyes. No one can. Engie sat there eating, occasionally glancing up at me. Even though he looks older with all his muscles and talent, he's actually quite shy and nervous. Until he gets a gun then his more powerful, manly side comes out. It's a miracle the scout is still alive with all that bone.

...

After I finished eating, I went over to my bedroom. 15 minutes later Pyro comes checking if I'm okay, and if I need anything. All I need is a nap...

Waking up just in time for dinner, I walked sleepily to the mess hall. It's Soldier's turn to cook. I sighed. Soldier always makes baked beans and steak. He can't make anything else. I sat down and after a very eventful dinner of Demoman picking a fight with Soldier about his cooking, I was first to leave. Tomorrow was another battle, and I was feeling drowsy. Again. Medic probably gave me too many sleeping pills or something.

The next day was relatively normal. We won, and that's all that counts, right? Almost got stabbed again, but luckily for me sniper got him right in the cerebrum. He waved at me, obviously content with his headshot. Pyro looked back and for a second he looked sad, but then continued burning the BLUs. As the battle wore on he started slowly getting closer and closer to the area I was in, doing spy-checks more frequently. It couldn't be jealousy of Sniper, could it?


	3. Chapter 3

Author's note: Thanks for the review, Fluffy52! I really appreciate it, and you're also my only reviewer so far!

**Bolts and Flames**

After the battle, I visited Medic.

"So, vhen Sniper saved Engineer, you felt hurt inside? Like.. Ein heart-ache? Unless the enemy have somehow gotten a virus that rips your heart out, my friend, I vould say that you are in love, Pyro."

I flew into a panic, realizing that it was probably true and I should tell him and what if he wouldn't like me anymore and will the others think if Medic tells them... Until I realized that Medic was probably in a relationship with the heavy. I calmed down a bit, thinking of what my next step would be.

I decided to speak with the heavy, I mean, _every battle _he yells out ' I love dis Doktor!" to friends and enemies alike. Most of the time we're too busy to question it. With the opening question of " How much do you love Medic?" we got talking. It turns out that they were together for quite a long time, after Heavy made a miniature version of Medic out of cloth and put him in his pocket, then started giving Medic enemy corpses for him to dissect. Full of expensive bullets, of course.

Soon it was 19:30, time for mine and Engineer's meet-up. Not a date. I planned it as a 'congratulations on getting better' but now I realized that the subject was going to change. 20:00 came and went and I was wondering where he was. Had he forgotten? Did a spy kidnap him and is holding him hostage?

I ran back to base and searched everywhere. Where could he be? The only place l didn't look was... Sniper's trailer? Why in the world would he be there? It smells of coffee and BO, with a tinge of 'Jarate'. Gross. Even my mask's filter doesn't do anything. I walked off to check anyways.

...

After trying to remember something and wandering the base, I ended up in front of Sniper's trailer. He noticed me and invited me in. First thing that hit me was the smell. I tried not to think about it and gave him a friendly smile.

"You did well out there today, didn't you?" I said.

"I got about 25 kills. Mostly headshots. You didn't do so bad yourself though! Your sentry must have gotten load'sa kills!"

"19, to be exact. 26 though if ya count mine."

"One more than me."

"Yep."

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Sniper went to answer it. It was Pyro.

"Mmmh Mh mmmm MhMh?(have you seen Engie?)"

"Uh, yeah. He's in here. We were... Uh... Chatting!" Pyro walked past Sniper and and straight to me.

"Mmh mhmmh mmmh mmh mhhmh! (You forgot about our meeting!)" mumbled Pyro, waving his arms around frantically.

"Creamed gravy! I am so sorry! I totally and utterly forgot!"

"Mmh mh. (I know)"

"Sorry Sniper, I really have'ta go! Bye!"


	4. Chapter 4

Author's note: Pretty short chapter. I miscalculated the length, but its the penultimate one!

**Bolts and Flames**

_(Engineer's POV)_

How did I forget about that? Me and Pyro walked back to the camp-fire, which is where we have our meetings. Pyro loves marshmallows and open flames. Once we were there, I noticed that he had brought my guitar for me. We sat down on the log we used as a seat.

"So... Ah see yuh brought my guitar. Do you want me tuh play it?" He nodded. I picked up the instrument and set it up on my knee. After an awkward silence, Pyro started talking.

"Mmh mh mmh mmmhmmm mh mmhmh? (What is your relationship with Sniper?)"

"Mah relationship... Wah? We're jus' friends..." I replied, taken aback by the question.

"Mh mmhm mh mhmh mh mhmm mh mh mh mhm mmm mh mh _MMHMH_! (But during the battle he waved to you and you were in his _trailer!_)"

"He waved because he jus' killed a spah, and he invahted me in... Why are you so interested? Its not like you love me or something... Or... Oh. OH!"

... ( "..." = POV Change)

That blew it. He probably thinks I'm in love with him now. Which is true. Probably. The more I thought about it the truer it seemed. I internally face-palmed. Now what? Is he going to freak out and run off? I wonder if I should try and make up an excuse. No use now, I guess. Sigh.

...

While wanting to say about fifty different things at once, my jaw just dropped and my face heated up. After a minute of staring at him, I decided not to say anything about it and closed my jaw. It made me look like an idiot, I suppose. I pieced things together in my head: The protectiveness, the kindness and friendliness... The jealousy. Was it true? Did Pyro... Love me?


	5. Chapter 5

Author's note: End of the story! Too bad, right? :P

**Bolts and Flames**

_(Pyro's POV)_

"Erm, Pyro? Are we friends? Or... Uh... An item?" Engie asked, getting redder until the point it matched his outfit, and fiddling around with his fingers like a child that just got told off. Well that did it. Him blushing and looking insecure was just inviting me to snuggle him.

...

Without warning, Pyro, who was sitting right next to me, ignored the question and embraced me in his arms. I let out a little gasp at the suddenness of it and noticed how soft and warm his outfit was. Despite the campfire, the desert was still cold at night and Pyro felt like a blanket, protecting me from the outside. I huddled in closer.

... _(Somewhere in the desert)_

_"Oi wonder if oi'll foind anything to shoot." I peered through my sniper-rifle's scope at the campfire in the distance, and saw two figures together. I looked closer and saw Engineer! With Pyro! Hugging each other! What in the world..?_

_... (Pyro's POV)_

I released him, unsure if I was asking for a guitar to the face, but he just sat there with a mix of confusing expressions. It didn't look like he was going to hit me though, so that was a plus. Engie spoke up.

"Thanks for the, uh, hug... Pard'ner." After that neither of us could look at each other until it was time to get back to our rooms. He never did play his guitar.

When morning came (about 4:30 am), soldier was running up and down the hallways screaming at people to wake up and banging his helmet with his shovel, and I'd hardly slept. I wonder if the BLU's had the same treatment from their soldier. The whole night, a question swam through my head: Why did I do that? I stumbled out of my room fully dressed in my outfit, still hiding my identity from everyone. It seemed that Engie didn't sleep well either. Battle raged on as usual, nothing particularly interesting until afterwards, when Engie invited me to his room to show off his newest invention.

I came along happily because Engineer's machines were always entertaining. It turned out to be a personalized pin: The one he made for himself could alert him if anything was getting sapped which was very helpful. The one I got was different. It was more of a watch, because when you flipped it open, a burst of flames came out. The flames were also programable to an extent and were currently set to an elaborate heart shape, which didn't seem to be "The easiest shape" that Engie described. I think he stayed up the whole night to make it. I decided to keep it like that, as it reminded me of Engie. He seemed a little shy while giving it, making it even better.

I didn't know how to thank him though so after I left I went outside to find some flowers. Since we were currently battling in a desert, flowers were scarce, but I managed to make a tiny bouquet. I found some string and paper, writing "Thank you" on the paper card. I tied it together and readied myself to go over to his room again.

I knocked on his door, and a muffled "Come in!" followed by a metallic clang was the answer. I pushed open the door to see Engie working on a miniature white turret or something. It was elliptical in shape and a tiny red laser to sense movement with. "Howdy again, Pyro! What can I help yah with?"

I held out the bouquet and said "For you." in my usual muffled tone. He took it and smiled. He continued looking at it, probably wondering where I got the flowers from when, on impulse, I took off my mask and kissed him on the cheek.

He almost dropped his flowers and once again went a lovely red colour and stuttering something about me not having my mask on and such. He was just gawping at my face. When I realized that I didn't have my mask on and therefore felt naked, I started panicking and blushing as well. What if he doesn't like my face, or the way I look? Luckily the door was closed.

All he said was "Woah." We stood like that for a long time, he even took off his goggles to see me better.

...

"Woah" I said again, not sure what exactly I should say to seeing PYRO'S FACE! No one in the whole base had seen his face before, and here I was, just standing in my room, me and a mask-less Pyro.

His face... Where do I start? His skin was pale, unlike everyone else's tan from the constant sun. He had cheekbones chiseled to perfection. He wore glasses and had flattened, messy, burnt sienna coloured hair with a tinge of umber and warm brown eyes. He was so handsome, I didn't understand why he wasn't a model or an actor. The he spoke in a clear, deep voice, totally unlike the muffled words of his mask: "Uh, are you alright? You don't seem to be breathing..."

And this man kissed me. Embraced me. If I wasn't in love with him already, that was the moment it was definite. I kissed him again, but on the mouth. This time it was his turn to be taken aback. He leaned into me and knocked my hard-hat to the floor, pulling me into a tight embrace. As our tongues fought for dominance I wondered how he was so good, and wrapped up in a parcel which no one had opened yet. His taste, his body, his voice.

When we broke the kiss it was because we ran out of air. He smiled at me and licked his lips.

"You're a pretty good kisser!"

"You ain't so bad yourself!" I replied, feeling exhilarated and slightly exhausted.

"We should do that again some time." Pyro said.

"Definitely." as I pulled him into yet another loving embrace.

**THE END**

I had fun writing this, but they really need more names for hugs. Alot more.


End file.
